The state's education system is one of the best in the nation and a powerful factor contributing to the success of many businesses. The high school graduation rate and percentage of the population with a bachelor’s degree are both well above the national average. A progressive business climate, coupled with a top-notch education system, has resulted in an adept, well-skilled and highly trainable workforce. A study by the Kansas Board of Regents shows tuition and fees at the state’s six universities compare favorably with colleges in five neighboring states.

Kansas has made a recent $100 million dollar investment to enhance the capacity of our three excellent colleges of engineering. This investment will produce more quality engineers to meet the needs of business and industry. Kansas State University, University of Kansas and Wichita State University will increase their engineering physical plants, the number of engineering graduates, quality of student internships and connections to business and enhance their corporate engagement strategies.

Education Week reports that Kansas exceeds the national average on a number of key statistics, including: educational spending per student, pupil/teacher ratio, small class sizes, graduation rate and proficiency in both math and reading. Kansas students also score above the national average on standardized college placement tests (ACT) in math, science, reading and language arts. Kansas continues to provide high levels of technology education and computer resources to all students.

The Kansas Legislature provided $130 million in financing for four major research facilities at Kansas universities: a Food Safety and Security Research Facility at Kansas State University, a Biomedical Research Facility at the University of Kansas Medical Center, equipment for the Biosciences Research Building at the University of Kansas and expansion of the Aviation Engineering Complex at Wichita State University. In addition, the Legislature authorized $13 million for improvements to the National Institute for Aviation Research at Wichita State University. The National Center for Aviation Training, is a 225,000 square-foot training facility built with the Wichita Area Technical College, Sedgwick County and others to support the large aviation cluster in that region of the state.

Kansas educational systems provide teaching and learning that combine a focus on 21st century skills and student outcomes with innovative support systems to help students master the multi-dimensional abilities required in the 21st century.

New! Career and Technical Education Grants

Governor Sam Brownback’s Road Map for Kansas includes a commitment to improve education by increasing the percentage of students who are career and college ready upon high school graduation. Career and Technical Education programs are a great way for high school students in Kansas to obtain real-world knowledge and skills that will help them immediately – whether that’s to begin their career after high school or to get a job that will help pay their way through college. As business demand continues to increase, Kansas is working to reverse the trend of the decreasing supply of certified workers. Click here for more details on this new initiative. During recent legislative sessions, the Kansas Legislature responded to this new initiative with an additional $18.8 million in funding for secondary and post-secondary career and technical education initiatives.

High school students can earn college credit without paying tuition and at the same time, earn a credential recognized by employers. Different career pathway options will give high school graduates the flexibility to either enter the workforce in high-demand, high-wage jobs after graduation, or earn high wages as they work their way through college, minimizing debt for Kansas students and families. Earlier options for students to receive college education and training will provide employers with a more skilled, certified workforce, saving employers valuable dollars.

After the first year of implementation, over 6,100 students accessed postsecondary career technical education, almost a 70 percent increase and 711 students earned industry-recognized credentials in fields such as healthcare, construction, manufacturing, and transportation. Increases have continued in the second year of the initiative with over 8,200 students enrolled, a 127 percent increase over the year prior to implementation, with over 1,200 students earning industry-recognized credentials.

Accelerating Opportunity: Kansas (AO-K)

In Kansas today, over 230,000 adults are without a GED or high school diploma. To increase the state’s economic standing and the quality of its workforce, Kansas is committed to increasing the number of Kansas adults who have a certificate, associate or bachelor’s degree to 60 percent by 2020. Accelerating Opportunity: Kansas (AO-K) transforms the delivery system for adult education using career pathways to deliver career and technical education as well as adult basic skills instruction. A partnership with the Kansas Board of Regents, AO-K participants complete short-term certificate programs aligned with labor market needs, resulting in industry recognized credentials and leading to jobs with family sustaining wages. In just two years of implementation, over 2,000 adults have taken advantage of this opportunity, earning over 3,000 industry-recognized credentials, resulting in over 800 adults with jobs.

During 2014, the Kansas legislature recognized the value of AO-K, including the AO-K Proviso and the GED Accelerator in HB 2506. The AO-K Proviso provides tuition support for adults enrolled in AO-K career pathway programs; the GED Accelerator provides incentives to community and technical colleges for adults earning a GED and receiving an industry recognized credential.

Source: Kansas Department of Education

Education Comparisons

State

Percent of Adults with
High School Diploma
(National Ranking)

Percent of Adults with
College Degree
(National Ranking)

State and Local Education
Spending as a percent of
general spending
(National Ranking)

Kansas

90.2 (17)

30.4 (17)

31.4 (24)

California

81.5 (50)

30.9 (15)

26.0 (46)

New York

85.3 (37)

33.4 (10)

27.2 (45)

Illinois

87.6 (31)

31.6 (13)

30.8 (25)

Missouri

88.0 (29)

26.4 (33)

30.3 (27)

Oklahoma

86.7 (33)

23.8 (43)

32.5 (17)

U.S. Average

86.4

29.1

30.0

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey, 2012; 2011 State & Local Government Finances.

EDUCATIONAL INSTITUTIONS

University of Kansas

The University of Kansas (KU), with an enrollment of more than 29,400 students and 2,500 faculty members, ranks among the nation’s top 50 public universities and is one of just 34 public schools in the prestigious Association of American Universities. It has a strong research portfolio, with many opportunities available to partner with businesses. It’s also considered one of the nation’s best college buys, with tuition below the majority of its research university peers.

KU’s main campus is in Lawrence, while the KU Medical Center is in Kansas City. There are also KU campuses in Overland Park, Salina and Wichita, and educational and research centers in Garden City, Hays, Parsons, Pittsburg, Topeka and Yoder.

The university has a strong research commercialization focus, with three business incubator facilities located in Lawrence and at the KU Medical Center housing both university spin-outs and companies eager to partner with researchers at the university. Externally funded research at all KU campuses grew to $225 million in FY 2010, and continues to grow each year.

Access to leaders in their respective disciplines is demonstrated by KU’s graduate programs, 48 of which are ranked in the top 50 by U.S. News & World Report. Special education and city management/urban policy programs each rank first among public university programs.

KU’s solid academics and outstanding extracurricular programs garnered praise in a recent 2011 edition of the Fiske Guide to Colleges. The guide gives KU four stars for academics, social life and quality of life, citing the university’s “excellent honors program” and calling the campus “one of the loveliest in the United States.”

Reinforcing KU’s position as one of the premier college bargains in the United States is the university’s innovative Four-year Tuition Compact, which freezes tuition for entering freshmen. New freshmen pay a fixed tuition rate, with no increase for the following four years.

In addition, students choosing KU are eligible for new, four-year renewable scholarships for freshmen and two-year scholarships for transfer students, based on academic performance. This means prospective students can visit www.affordability.ku.edu and know what scholarships they qualify for even before they apply. KU’s in-state tuition and fees are the 28th lowest among the 34 public members of the Association of American Universities.

What you may not know about KU:

The School of Pharmacy is ranked No. 4 by the National Institutes of Health for amount of grant funded research, the only Big 12 program in the top 10.

The KU School of Medicine was ranked a top five school nationally for fulfilling its social mission to train primary care physicians to work in underrepresented areas. The school expanded its two-year program at the Wichita campus into a four-year program and opened a new Salina campus designed specifically to train doctors for careers in rural communities.

The University of Kansas Cancer Center earned National Cancer Institute designation in June 2012. NCI-designated Cancer Centers are recognized for their scientific excellence and are awarded federal funding through a rigorous peer review process.

Kansas State University (K-State) is a major comprehensive public research university with a faculty of more than 1,150 and an enrollment of more than 23,500 students. Called one of the best public universities in America, K-State's three-campus system (Manhattan, Olathe and Salina) serves students across Kansas, the nation and the world with more than 250 undergraduate majors and options, 110 graduate majors and a number of undergraduate and graduate certificate programs in multiple disciplines.

K-State is a recognized leader in animal health and food safety and security, which is drawing national research centers to Manhattan: the U.S. Department of Homeland Security's National Bio- and Agro-Defense Facility, the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Center for Excellence in Emerging and Zoonotic Animal Diseases, and the Arthropod-Borne Animal Disease Research Unit.

As a growing national hub for research, K-State was issued 11 patents in 2010 and faculty researchers brought in a record $147.7 million in extramural funding. This research expertise is getting national attention. K-State was cited as one of the reasons why Manhattan tops Forbes magazine's list of the best small places for business and careers.

Leading publications are calling K-State one of the best colleges in the nation, including U.S. News and World Report and The Princeton Review's Best 373 Colleges. And with nods from Military Advanced Education magazine and G.I. Jobs magazine, K-State is a perennial selection as one of the nation's most military-friendly universities.

Students at K-State are among the nation's best. K-State is the only public university over the past 15 years to rank among the top 10 of all U.S. schools in five major scholarship programs: Rhodes, Marshall, Truman, Goldwater and Udall. K-State students receive Truman, Goldwater and Udall scholarships, a Boren Fellowship, two Fulbright awards and four National Science Foundation Graduate Research Fellowships; a K-State team earned a national championship in debate; a K-Stater was crowned a national forensics champion and two K-State doctoral students were ranked among the top 20 in the world for their research.

K-State's land-grant mission is thriving. The Carnegie Foundation awarded K-State the Community Engagement Classification, an honor that recognizes higher education institutions that collaborate with their larger communities and understand the benefits of a reciprocal exchange of knowledge and resources.

K-State's commitment to sustainability is earning national recognition. K-State is the only public university in Kansas selected for The Princeton Review's Guide to 311 Green Colleges, and K-State has the first building at a state higher education institution to be LEED certified: the School of Leadership Studies Building earned LEED gold certification.

K-State's research and academic successes are being matched by philanthropic support of the university, which is at an all-time high. The Kansas State University Foundation set a fundraising record of $107 million, while the athletic department's Ahearn Fund surpassed its goal by more than $1 million and set a new record for total gifts to the department.

And to keep the university's momentum growing, the university family is embarking on a visionary, campus-wide campaign to move K-State forward by being recognized as a top 50 public research university by 2025.

In August of 2013, Business Insider named K-State as the 18th best college campus in the nation. (full article)

What you may not know about K-State:

The Princeton Review ranks K-State No. 3 for best quality of life; No. 5 for great campus and community relations; No. 5 for athletic schools; No. 7 for happiest students; No. 11 for best career services; No. 11 in the students who pack the stadiums category; and No. 14 for best-run colleges.

K-State is the first land-grant university in the nation to offer classes and the first public university in Kansas.

K-State is the only research and doctoral university in the nation with three CASE/Carnegie U.S. professors of the year, all of whom teach undergraduate classes.

K-State is the most popular college choice among Kansas high school seniors.

Wichita State University

Wichita State University (WSU) is a comprehensive urban-serving research university of more than 14,000 students and more than 500 faculty in Wichita, Kansas. WSU offers graduate (masters and doctorate) and undergraduate degree programs in six colleges and 39 academic departments.

The University offers more than 60 undergraduate degree programs in more than 200 areas of study in six undergraduate colleges. The Graduate School offers an extensive program, including 44 master’s degrees in more than 100 areas.

The University is a Carnegie high research university with internationally recognized research programs in aviation and advanced materials. WSU is a training partner for the National Center for Aviation Research (NIAR). Being a part of WSU gives NIAR a distinct advantage, having an excellent academic connection from which to draw the most outstanding aviation researchers. The University research programs attract approximately $45 million in external funding annually.

WSU’s cooperative education program, which offers students the opportunity to earn credit along with job experience, is among the largest and most successful of its kind in the Midwest. Students are placed not only in local companies, but also at national organizations such as the National Aeronautics and Space Administration.

What you may not know about Wichita State:

Via Christi Health System and WSU researchers have partnered to create the Center of Innovation for Biomaterials in Orthopedic Research (CIBOR) in Wichita. CIBOR’s goals include: development of medical devices that can be quickly brought to market, such as surgical instruments, stretchers and operating tables that do not require a long FDA-approval process; and longer-term development of advanced implantable devices, such as artificial hips and knees.

NIAR is a Center of Excellence for General Aviation Research and the headquarters for the Center of Excellence for Composites and Advanced Materials. Other government organizations have also designated NIAR as a research hub. NASA sponsors the National Center for Advanced Materials Performance, located within NIAR, and the National Science Foundation has named WSU/NIAR as a Center for Friction Stir Processing.

Pittsburg State University

Pittsburg State University (PSU) is a comprehensive regional university providing more than 100 undergraduate and graduate programs in its College of Arts and Sciences, Kelce College of Business, College of Education and College of Technology. PSU has an enrollment of more than 7,000 and is located in Pittsburg, Kansas.

Students who choose PSU find a traditional campus atmosphere and strong accredited programs in a wide variety of fields at an affordable price. Under the university’s flat-rate tuition plan, cost-conscious full-time students pay one rate, regardless of how many hours they carry.

In addition to strong pre-professional programs in the health sciences, the university boasts AACSB accreditation for its Kelce College of Business and NCATE accreditation for its highly regarded teacher education programs in its College of Education.

PSU’s College of Technology is a special point of pride for the university and is home to more than 30 nationally known programs in automotive technology, construction management and construction engineering technologies, engineering technology, graphics and imaging technologies and technology and workforce learning. Some of the programs, such as Plastics Engineering Technology, are ranked among the top in the nation.

PSU is also the home of the Kansas Polymer Research Center, which specializes in research on bio-based polyols used to replace petroleum products in manufacturing. Scientists in the KPRC hold a number of patents and in 2007 were honored by the National Academy of Sciences with the Presidential Green Chemistry Challenge Award.

What you may not know about Pittsburg State:

Pittsburg State’s plastics, automotive and wood technology programs are among the only programs of their type in the nation.

PSU’s Gladys A. Kelce College of Business is one of only around 100 schools in the country to earn the Information Systems Security certification by the Committee on National Security Systems, and one of 28 colleges that offer a program in Endorsed Internal Auditing.

The job placement rate for Pittsburg State Nursing graduates is typically around 100 percent.

Emporia State University

Emporia State University (ESU), located in Emporia, Kansas, enrolls more than 6,000. ESU was named a Tier 1 university in the U.S. News & World Report’s “Best Colleges.” The school offers a high level of individual academic instruction from faculty and offers the best career services.

ESU’s Teachers College is highly regarded and was named as one of the four model teacher preparation programs in the nation. Its Professional Development School model of elementary teacher training, modeled after physician residency programs, was held up by the U.S. Department of Education as a model for the 21st century. ESU is home to the National Teachers Hall of Fame and the Jones Institute for Educational Excellence, which works to enhance the quality of education in Kansas through research, training and policy analysis.

What you may not know about Emporia State:

The William Allen White Children’s Book Award Program, the first statewide reader’s choice award in the nation, was established at ESU in 1952.

ESU does not charge by the credit hour. A full-time student may take 10 or more hours and not have to pay any additional tuition. Emporia State University is one of only two Regents universities in Kansas offering this great flat rate.

ESU students will develop and improve leadership skills in the Leadership Education and Development (LEAD) program. This program connects students who want to get practical experiences.

ESU’s School of Business was recognized by U.S. News and World Report being the least expensive graduate program for both in-state and out-of-state students.

Fort Hays State University

Fort Hays State University (FHSU) is a regional comprehensive university with more than 12,000 students and approximately 350 faculty. FHSU is located in Hays, Kansas, which has been recognized as the third-best college town in America among small cities.

FHSU is known for its innovation and entrepreneurship. Among the universities in the Kansas Board of Regents system, FHSU has the unique mission to integrate computer and telecommunications technology with the educational environment and the work place. Through its Department of Informatics, FHSU serves as both a local and regional academy for Cisco Systems, the worldwide leader in networking for the Internet. The U.S. government has designated the university a National Center of Academic Excellence in Information Assurance.

The Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching selected the university for its Community Engagement Classification in both the Curricular Engagement category and the Outreach and Partnerships category. FHSU serves as administrator of the Kansas Small Business Development Center network, which is a partnership with the U.S. Small Business Administration and the Kansas Department of Commerce. Also, FHSU’s Docking Institute of Public Affairs facilitates effective decision-making among governmental and non-profit leaders through applied research, training and strategic planning.

With the lowest tuition in the region, FHSU offers its students hands-on learning with close attention from faculty that prepares them with a global perspective, professional skills and confidence to pursue successful careers. Students can pursue majors in more than 30 academic departments in four colleges and a Graduate School. In addition to classes on the Hays campus, FHSU has an international presence with more than 4,000 students from nearly all 50 states and several foreign nations enrolled in its Virtual College. In addition, FHSU has about 3,500 students at partner universities in China.

What you may not know about Fort Hays State:

FHSU was the first American university to be approved by the Ministry of Education of the People’s Republic of China to offer dual bachelor’s degrees under the framework of the Sino-Foreign University of Cooperation in Running Schools.

With more than 30 award-winning programs offered worldwide, FHSU’s Virtual College is the global leader in online education. FHSU is proud to have partnerships with every branch of the U.S. Military.

Washburn University

Washburn University (WU), located in Topeka, Kansas is a municipal university enrolling more than 7,000 students. Through the College of Arts and Sciences and schools of Law, Business, Nursing and Applied Studies, Washburn students have access to more than 200 programs of study. Graduate degrees are also offered at Washburn, and the law school is nationally ranked. The Washburn School of Business has earned accreditation from The Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business, the oldest and largest business school accreditation organization in the world.

With a low student-faculty ratio of 16- to-1, students receive personalized, quality education from a qualified staff. More than 83 percent of the faculty members hold a doctoral degree or the highest degree available in their fields. WU is home to the Mulvane Art Museum, the oldest accredited art museum west of the Mississippi, and to KTWU, the first public television station in Kansas.

The University provides state-of-the-art integrated educational and residential centers for 800 students. Learning at Washburn is facilitated by extensive computer, video and teleconferencing capabilities within meeting and seminar rooms.

What you may not know about Washburn:

Washburn is annually ranked as one of the best colleges in the Midwest by U.S. News and World Report.

For the fourth consecutive year, the School of Business was named an outstanding business school by the Princeton Review and was listed in the 2011 edition of Best 300 Business Schools.

Washburn University School of Law was named an outstanding law school by the Princeton Review in the 2011 edition of The Best 172 Law Schools. The Legal Analysis, Research and Writing Program at the law school was ranked 13th in the nation by U.S. News and World Report.

OTHER EDUCATIONAL INSTITUTIONS

Community and Technical Colleges

Kansas provides strong technical education through a network of 26 community and technical colleges. The colleges provide education and training for your incoming workforce and current employees. Flexible training formats are designed to meet business’ needs for credit or non-credit, online, evening, concentrated courses and more. Colleges can provide existing programs or customize to meet a company’s specific needs.

Workforce Development/Career Technical Education

Never before has postsecondary workforce development been more important than it is today. Kansas technical and community colleges provide the education and skills necessary so employees can contribute to your company’s bottom line. Technical education focused on workforce demands offers a value proposition to students, employers and communities. Technical education prepares individuals with high skills in anticipation of better careers and personal enrichment, and provides employers with the talent needed to remain competitive in a global economy.

Technical and community colleges focus efforts and resources to prepare workers for careers in Kansas’ highest-priority fields, such as health care, advanced manufacturing/aviation, energy, biosciences and value-added agriculture. Education and training in these critical industries will help ensure a strong Kansas economy long into the future. Successful workforce development programs ensure continued profitability for employers.

The Kansas Postsecondary Technical Education Authority, a group of appointed business leaders, have been charged with the task of aligning technical education more closely with business needs. Technical programs are responding with training which leads to industry credentials selected by business members.

The Workforce Development/Career Technical Education Unit:

Serves as the link between higher education and the workforce and economic needs vital to local communities and the state

Fosters economic development in the state by providing leadership in defining and advocating statewide workforce and economic development initiatives

Partners with the Kansas Department of Commerce and Kansas Department of Labor to develop an integrated education and workforce training system that unifies efforts, produces highly skilled workers and leverages resources to aligned priority needs and maximize benefits

Supports college partners as they provide high-quality, cost effective, short-term, career-relevant training solutions, as well as academic programs and certifications aligned with the needs of today’s employers

KEY: ESU Emporia State University FHSU Fort Hays State University KSU Kansas State University
KU University of Kansas PSU Pittsburg State University WATC Wichita Area Technical College
S Private Non-Profit Organization WU Washburn University WSU Wichita State University